Food with Attitude

Elderberries are said to benefit your health

Here's an excuse to taste it (as if you need one!): many health benefits have been claimed for this fruit as the tiny berries have been used in European folk medicine since antiquity for alleviating symptoms of the common cold. So maybe a daily dose could see you sailing through the flu season without so much as a sniffle!!

Ingredients

1/2lb Ripe Elderberries
1 70cl Bottle of Vodka
4 oz Caster Sugar

Method

1. Take the berries off the stalks and wash thoroughly discarding any damaged or rotten fruits. Roughly pierce the fruits with a fork just to break the skins. Leaving them almost whole will make it easier to get them into the bottle.
2. Dissolve the sugar in a very small quantity of water and pour into an empty vodka bottle then add the fruit and pour over the vodka and shake thoroughly.
3. Place bottle in dark cupboard but remember to agitate daily so that the sugar does not settle at the bottom.
4. After three months (just in time for Christmas) strain off the fruits by passing the liquid through a coffee filter and put into a clean bottle. (See footnote)
5. The vodka will now have changed colour as the elderberries’ flavour will have been absorbed into the alcohol.

It is best, if you can resist the temptation to drink it during the Christmas season, to leave it in a dark cupboard for six months and then enjoy!!

Footnote: It's up to you whether or not you eat the berries when you strain them out. They're gorgeous with cream or ice cream.